Leng Tianhao left. Lu Chengwen grabbed the phone. "Li Meiqin! Make a change. Transfer the money directly into Leng Qingqiu's personal account. No need. Just do as I say."
After hanging up, Lu Chengwen was furious. He slammed his fist onto his executive desk.
"What the fuck is an outstanding entrepreneur? What the fuck is one of the Four Great Families? Dog! Leng Tianhao, you're a dog with nothing but money in your eyes! Leng Qingqiu is beautiful and capable. With a daughter like that, instead of treating her like a precious jewel, loving her, protecting her... you fucking disgust me!"
He sat there, trying to calm himself, then said through heavy breaths, "Leng Qingqiu definitely can't take this kind of blow... You wanted to screw me over? Fine, I'll give the ten billion directly to Leng Qingqiu! You kick her out? Without her, you won't have any money. Let's see how you play this! You want to fight me? If you weren't Leng Qingqiu's father, I'd kick your tiny dick back into your bladder!"
After venting, Lu Chengwen weakly slumped into his executive chair and stared blankly at the ceiling.
His mind was a complete mess.
At that moment, a figure slipped out from behind the door.
Leng Qingqiu's face was streaked with tears as she looked expressionlessly at Lu Chengwen.
Lu Chengwen instinctively turned around. The instant he saw Leng Qingqiu, he sprang up from his chair as if electrocuted.
"Q-Q-Q-Qingqiu? Why are you here? How long have you... been here?"
"I heard everything."
Lu Chengwen froze.
Holy shit! Isn't this completely screwed? She has to be devastated, right? Who wouldn't be hurt by something like this?
It's over. She definitely hates both me and her father now. It doesn't matter if she hates me—I can take it—but... how is she supposed to face her father from now on?
"Qingqiu, you... listen to me. Actually... some things..."
"You don't need to explain. There's nothing you can say that will help now."
Lu Chengwen truly had nothing to say.
After Leng Qingqiu had overheard that conversation, there was no way to salvage the situation.
Even if he had the gift of gab, even if he were Zhuge Liang himself debating a room full of scholars, he probably could not come up with anything pleasant to say.
Lu Chengwen looked deeply guilty. "I-I'm sorry."
Leng Qingqiu said nothing. She merely looked at Lu Chengwen as tears streamed down her face.
Lu Chengwen suddenly flew into a rage. "Zhao Gang! Jiang Shihan! Get the fuck in here!"
Zhao Gang and Jiang Shihan were scared out of their wits. The moment they entered and saw the scene, they knew something had happened. Both went pale.
"Do you two have pig brains? Qingqiu came in, and you didn't tell me in advance? What the fuck do I keep you around for? Pack your things and get out!"
Jiang Shihan was so terrified that she could not react at all. Zhao Gang dropped straight to his knees.
"CEO Lu! CEO Lu, I was wrong! CEO Lu, please forgive me this once..."
Leng Qingqiu said loudly, "I forced them. If you want to scold someone, scold me!"
Lu Chengwen immediately lost his temper.
Leng Qingqiu turned to the two of them. "You can leave. This has nothing to do with you. Sorry, I got you involved."
"We wouldn't dare..."
Jiang Shihan was still dazed, while Zhao Gang grabbed her and hurriedly fled.
Just then, Li Meiqin pushed open the door and rushed in. The moment she entered, she saw Leng Qingqiu crying and Lu Chengwen standing there in silence.
Nervously, she said, "CEO Lu... a transfer of ten billion requires your... signature."
Lu Chengwen nodded. "Bring it over."
Just as Lu Chengwen was about to sign, Leng Qingqiu slapped her hand over the signature line and fixed her tearful eyes on him.
Lu Chengwen looked at Leng Qingqiu and gave a miserable smile. "Don't make trouble. Once I sign it, you'll have the money. You can... continue running Thousand Peaks and lead it forward."
Leng Qingqiu looked at Lu Chengwen. "Why... don't you want to marry me?"
Lu Chengwen smiled bitterly. "I won't use money to buy you, and I won't use money to force you. You don't love me. If we were together, we'd only torture each other. What would be the point?"
Lu Chengwen slowly moved Leng Qingqiu's hand away, signed the document, and handed the pen to Li Meiqin.
Lu Chengwen's voice was incredibly gentle.
"Qingqiu, I know the old me was a real bastard. I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you. If time could turn back, I would never let any of this happen. If there were any way to make up for the harm I caused you, I'd be willing to do anything."
"Take this money as a small token of my apology. You're a good girl—smart, hardworking, and kind-hearted. Believe me, one day you'll meet your true destined one. He... he'll definitely be a Child of Destiny, better than everyone else in every way, full of nothing but strengths. He'll love you, cherish you, and protect you. He'll be the person you've always been looking for. With him, you'll never feel lonely or alone again. Believe me, that person will appear. That day will come."
Leng Qingqiu snatched up the signed transfer document and clenched it in her hand.
"Qingqiu, what are you doing!?"
Leng Qingqiu said, "Li Meiqin, leave."
Li Meiqin had wanted to run away for ages. She quickly bowed, turned around, and left.
"What are you doing?" Lu Chengwen said. "You need this money."
"You're so rich. Buy me, then."
Lu Chengwen's eyes widened. "W-What did you say?"
"Aren't I worth ten billion? Buy me."
"I already apologized. Isn't it enough that I admitted I wronged you? I'm begging you, spare me. I'll never dare to..."
"I'm willing."
Lu Chengwen was utterly miserable. "Ma'am, you're just saying that because you're angry..."
"I'm not angry. I've fallen for you."
Lu Chengwen stared at Leng Qingqiu for several seconds, then laughed in exasperation.
"Qingqiu, you... Heh. I know you're too angry to think straight right now..."
"I'm thinking clearly. A lot has happened these past few days, and it helped me see what kind of person you really are. I truly like you. From the bottom of my heart, I want to become the Lu Family's young mistress."
Lu Chengwen looked at her, his entire face seeming to go numb.
"Ma'am, you..."
Leng Qingqiu seemed to have made up her mind. "I'll only ask you one thing. Do you still like me?"
Lu Chengwen thought to himself:
Like you, my ass! Do I dare like you?
What the hell is going on? This isn't how the plot is supposed to go! For three whole years, I trailed after you. I wasn't even worth as much as a dog to you. You never even gave me a proper look.
What did you get hit in the head with these past two days? Why did you suddenly... What am I supposed to do?
Thinking about the past three years, Leng Qingqiu felt embarrassed as well.
It was true that she had not understood Lu Chengwen well enough, and she had often treated him terribly.
An ordinary person with any self-respect would have stopped bothering with her long ago. It was hard on him that he had persisted for three years.
Now, Leng Qingqiu could no longer remember the version of Lu Chengwen she had found so detestable. Instead, when she thought back on those years, it seemed that because Lu Chengwen had been there, they had actually been quite happy.
As one memory after another surfaced, she suddenly felt that she had spent the past three years blissfully unaware of her own good fortune. She was also filled with guilt toward Lu Chengwen.
"Before... I was the one who was wrong. You... don't be mad at me, okay? I was wrong. I'll apologize to you."
Lu Chengwen did not know about Leng Qingqiu's change of heart. From his perspective, her opinion of him had made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn almost overnight.
He could neither understand nor accept it.
"Qingqiu, have there been too many things happening lately, so... you're deliberately acting like this? Don't worry, I definitely won't keep pestering you anymore..."
"I like it when you pester me!" Leng Qingqiu quickly said. "Before, I didn't know how lucky I was. And you were the same—you deliberately acted so obnoxious that I misunderstood you for so long."
"A misunderstanding!?"
"Anyway, I finally understand what you really think now. I like you. I like you sincerely."
Lu Chengwen felt his head buzzing.
"I think you're not calm right now. This is obviously an impulsive reaction."
"Fine, I know you're no longer that interested in me. That's okay. You chased me for three years. Now it's my turn to chase you."
Lu Chengwen did not even know how he was supposed to react.
Leng Qingqiu smiled. Her smile was both happy and miserable, and it made Lu Chengwen's heart ache.
"Anyway, starting today, you'll see me change."
Leng Qingqiu looked at the document in her hand. "I'll consider this money a loan from you. Once I make money, I'll pay you back."
Leng Qingqiu suddenly leaned close and gave Lu Chengwen a peck on the lips. Then, blushing, she said, "I'm leaving. You... you... I'll contact you."
Even after Leng Qingqiu left, Lu Chengwen still had not recovered from the shock.
Lu Chengwen sat in his chair like an eggplant wilted by frost, not moving an inch for a long time.
When he finally came out, Jiang Shihan immediately stood up at the door and looked at him nervously.
Lu Chengwen paused, then quickly said, "Oh, just now... I was wrong. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."
Jiang Shihan hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, CEO Lu. Please forgive me. It was my fault. I shouldn't have casually let someone in."
Lu Chengwen patted her shoulder. "Don't be silly. I was mad out of my mind just now. Leng Qingqiu can practically walk sideways through Great Sage Group. She's even more intimidating than I am. How could you possibly stop her? Don't overthink it. I'll give you the day off. Go home and get some rest."
"No, no, no. I'm fine. I can work."
"Then stop crying. You don't look pretty anymore." Lu Chengwen smiled.
The moment Lu Chengwen smiled, Jiang Shihan was immediately overjoyed. "I won't do it again."
At that moment, Zhao Gang walked in nervously. "CEO Lu."
Lu Chengwen looked at Zhao Gang. "What is it?"
Zhao Gang grinned. "President Xu is here to see you."
"Xu Xuejiao?"
"Yes." Zhao Gang quickly said, "I stopped her. She even tried to throw a fit at me, but I didn't indulge her. She even bragged that once she saw you, she'd make you look bad. I followed your highest instructions and didn't give her an inch of face. She's practically furious enough to explode now..."
Lu Chengwen's mouth twitched.
Serves me right!
I yelled at Zhao Gang, and it scared the kid so badly that, to keep his job, he went and offended Xu Xuejiao, that dark little loli, on my behalf.
Lu Chengwen said gloomily, "From now on, when President Xu comes, you still need to show her some respect. Understand?"
"Understood."
Zhao Gang was nearly crying. Since Lu Chengwen had said "from now on," it meant he had kept his job.
Wonderful, I can keep being a lackey! Wonderful! Boohoo...
Lu Chengwen hurried to the lounge. The moment he entered, he saw Xu Xuejiao's chest heaving violently with anger.
Lu Chengwen quickly smiled. "President Xu, what an honor to have you here. Lu Chengwen failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me, please forgive me!"
Xu Xuejiao stood up. "Lu Chengwen, you sure put on quite an impressive show!"
Lu Chengwen quickly smiled. "Not at all, not at all. Something happened just now, and I scolded Zhao Gang. The kid got scared, so he offended you. Please forgive him, please forgive him."
"Tell me, why did you suddenly invest in the shantytown redevelopment project?"
Lu Chengwen groaned. "I... acted on a whim."
"Are you sure it can make money?"
"I'm sure it'll lose money."
Xu Xuejiao's eyes widened. "Then why did you and Leng Qingqiu still invest? What exactly are you plotting?"
Lu Chengwen sighed inwardly.
Where's Long Aotian? Come on, beat me to death. Whatever. I'm tired.
Before you continue